Gorilla Trekking For Seniors, Elderly, And The Disabled
Yes, seniors can go gorilla trekking with proper planning by using accommodations like porters and sedan chairs, being assigned shorter treks, and traveling during the dry season. Key strategies include informing a tour operator of your needs, hiring porters to carry gear, and arranging for a sedan chair for transport on difficult terrain. Booking an early permit, choosing a suitable national park sector, and considering domestic flights to reduce travel time are also beneficial.
The best gorilla trekking for seniors is Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, specifically the Ruhija sector, due to its less mountainous terrain and the possibility of shorter, flatter trails. To ensure a comfortable experience, it’s crucial to book a permit in advance, choose a lodge that offers senior-friendly services, and consider hiring a porter or using a sedan chair for assistance if needed.
Going on a gorilla trek with the elderly. With Kabira Safaris & Tours Africa, gorilla trekking is made simple for people who are not fit enough, elderly, or unable to go up to see the gorillas. Are you planning to trek gorillas with your mother, father, or sibling who is old, senior, or who is disabled? There is no upper age limit for gorilla trekking if one can get to the park, however, there are ways to make it easier for senior people to see the gorillas.
There is also a sedan chair that helps to transfer the elderly to see the gorillas, and this costs about $500 per person to be carried to and from the jungle. You can choose to pay for a porter who assists you with carrying your backpack and lends you a hand while you travel through the forest. Visitors in their 70s and 80s have been able to trek and see the gorillas. You should not pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go gorilla trekking.
Best Gorilla Trekking Tours for Seniors
3 Day Gorilla Trekking Uganda
A 3-day gorilla trekking trip in Uganda is a short safari to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, requiring a long drive from Kampala on day one, the trek on day two, and the return journey on day three. The highlight is one hour spent observing a habituated mountain gorilla family, though the trek itself can last from 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on the gorillas’ location. Permits are mandatory, and the trip includes a guided trek, transport, and accommodation.
3 Days Uganda Gorilla Flying Safari
A 3-day Uganda flying safari to see mountain gorillas is a quick, luxurious trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park for those short on time. It involves a domestic flight from Entebbe to a local airstrip in Bwindi, a day of guided gorilla trekking, and a return flight, significantly cutting down travel time compared to a road trip. These tours typically include luxury accommodation, park permits, and flights, with the highlight being a one-hour encounter with the gorillas.
Gorillas And Lion Tracking
Gorilla and lion tracking are distinct safari activities that differ in habitat, activity level, and animal focus. Gorilla tracking involves trekking through mountainous forests to find gorillas, requiring physical effort and hiking. In contrast, lion tracking occurs on savannah grasslands and typically involves sitting in a vehicle to observe lions from a close distance
Long Uganda Gorilla Safaris
Long Uganda gorilla safaris are multi-day trips that often combine gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park with other wildlife activities like chimpanzee tracking or game drives in parks such as Queen Elizabeth National Park. These extended tours can last anywhere from 5 to 15 days or more, allowing visitors to experience a wider variety of Uganda’s natural attractions, including wildlife, primates, and unique cultural experiences.
Planning and logistics
- Communicate your needs: Inform your tour operator about any physical limitations in advance. They can help arrange the most suitable options for your trek.
- Hire porters or a sedan chair: Porters can help carry your gear, and a sedan chair is available for those who cannot walk long distances.
- Request suitable groups and trails: At the morning briefing, park authorities can assign you to a gorilla family that is located closer to the park entrance, reducing the trek distance. Some operators can also help pre-arrange shorter, gentler paths.
- Consider accommodation and travel: Choose lodges that are closer to the park headquarters, or consider domestic flights from Entebbe to reduce long drive times to the national park.
Important things to consider during organizing Gorilla Trekking for Seniors, the elderly, and people with disabilities
To prevent making the elderly tired by having them sit in the car for a long time, you should think about lowering the drive time. There are two ways to shorten the 8–9-hour trip to Bwindi: either taking a domestic flight from Entebbe or beginning and concluding the tour in Kigali. Taking breaks along the route is another choice. After that, your driver guide will meet for you at the airport so they can drive you to the park. The cost of local flights is high, but the benefit is that you can get at the park in just one hour and have time to recover before the next day’s gorilla walk in the forest.
Elderly visitors may be concerned about security in the park throughout their stay and when trekking with the gorillas in addition to their capacity to complete the hike. This is because they are already frail and even vulnerable. It is very safe to do gorilla trekking in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and Tanzania’s Mgahinga Gorilla National Park.
The purpose of armed rangers leading gorilla treks is to keep tourists safe from wild creatures like elephants and buffalo. Although there haven’t been any instances of militias in Uganda or Rwanda in more than 20 years, park authorities take no chances. Due to past security incidents, the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can be uncertain. Security is still tighter even then than it is in Rwanda and Uganda. In order to go gorilla trekking in the Congo, one must become accustomed to several security checks and additional bodyguards.
6-day Uganda safari Itinerary
A 6-day Uganda safari typically combines gorilla trekking in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale or Kalinzu Forest, and wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park. Many itineraries also include other activities like boat cruises on the Kazinga Channel, visiting Lake Mburo, or even rhino tracking at Ziwa Sanctuary, with travel often concluding with a return to Kampala/Entebbe.
8 Day Uganda Safari
An 8-day Uganda safari typically includes visiting major parks like Murchison Falls, Queen Elizabeth, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. Key activities involve game drives, boat cruises on the Nile and Kazinga Channel, chimpanzee trekking in Kibale, and the highlight of gorilla trekking in Bwindi. The journey often starts and ends in Entebbe, and may include stops at places like the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary or Lake Bunyonyi.
12 Day Uganda Safari
A 12-day Uganda safari typically includes wildlife viewing, primate tracking (gorilla and chimpanzee), and cultural experiences. Key highlights often include gorilla trekking in Bwindi, chimpanzee tracking in Kibale Forest, and wildlife viewing in Queen Elizabeth National Park and Murchison Falls National Park. Boat cruises, game drives, and visits to the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary are also common.
Gorilla Trekking Uganda
Gorilla trekking in Uganda involves hiking through dense rainforests in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park or Mgahinga Gorilla National Park to observe mountain gorillas in their natural habitat. A one-hour trek costs $800 per permit (for foreign non-residents) and includes park entrance fees and ranger services. The experience includes a guided hike, often on challenging terrain, and a one-hour observation period with a habituated gorilla family, which can be followed by receiving a certificate.
Physical considerations
- Fitness is more important than age: Your overall fitness level, not your age, is the most significant factor. Those who have an active lifestyle, even if they are seniors, may be well-prepared.
- Dry seasons are ideal: Trekking is easiest during the dry seasons (June–September and December–February) when the trails are less slippery and gorillas tend to be at lower altitudes.
- Pace yourself: Park rangers often report that many seniors in their 70s have successfully completed treks, especially with support like walking poles and hydration.
Where to go
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda): Has a high population of gorillas and offers various sectors to choose from. The Ruhija sector is often noted for having shorter treks.
- Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda): Also a popular destination with well-organized treks that can be adapted for seniors.
What accommodation for gorilla trekking is best for the seniors, and elders to stay in
The lodging options in and near the gorilla parks are all of the highest calibers and can all accommodate seniors. They include economy hotels, luxury hotels, mid-range lodgings, and ultra-luxury lodgings. Your budget determines everything. Standard cottages with grass-thatched roofs, self-contained tented camps, dorm rooms, and straightforward campsites are available as accommodations. The majority of these hotels were designed to make it simple for individuals with impairments to move around.
It’s crucial to prepare beforehand by hiking around your home if you are middle-aged but rather inactive. If you reside in a hilly, mountainous, or forested location, take advantage of the opportunity to walk around to get your body ready for your excursion. You can also get ready for gorilla trekking by strolling, climbing, doing light running, and walking for extended periods of time.
Consider using a sedan chair for gorilla trekking for seniors, and the elderly.
Elderly individuals must know what to carry for gorilla trekking in order to have the finest gorilla experience, in addition to getting into an easier group and being carried in sedan chairs. We advise bringing hiking boots, hand gloves, rain jackets, sweaters, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirts, long pants, walking sticks, insect repellents, and first aid kits when going gorilla trekking.
Best Time for Gorilla Trekking for seniors, and the Elderly
The best time to go gorilla trekking in Uganda is in the drier months of January, February, June, and early September. This makes it easier to travel to the park and provides a clear view of gorillas because the vegetation cover is not too much higher grown. Gorilla trekking for the elderly is done throughout the year in Uganda.
